This is a refresh of an older version of this same theory I’ve written about in the past: https://dragmirexi.com/blog/true-lineage-wind-tribe-gerudo/
This version of the theory strips out unnecessary connections (All connections between Zonai, Wind Tribe, Interlopers, Twili, Oooca, etc) and instead focuses on the core of the idea, which still remains unchanged.
Synopsis
We have known at least 3 Demon Kings in the Zelda series so far, those being Demise, Malladus, and Ganon. And technically speaking, there have been multiple (exact quantity is up for debate but there are at least 2 distinct “Ganondorfs”). Something that has separated every Ganondorf from both Demise and Malladus is his human, Gerudo origin.
The idea I would like to explore is the particular origin of the line of “Ganondorf,” his oldest ancestor, and how it is that even after his defeat and reincarnation he remains the Demon King.
I am proposing the following: In Skyward Sword, at the conclusion of the fight between Demise and Link, Demise curses Groose’s bloodline resulting in the creation of the Gerudo tribe. This Gerudo tribe is cursed to be a vehicle for the Curse of the Demon Tribe to manifest through their male offspring.
Exhibit 1 - Groose’s Visual Connection to Ganondorf & the Gerudo
The first and most obvious connection that needs to be established is between Groose and the Gerudo as the origin of this theory is that Groose in particular was affected by Demise at the end of Skyward Sword.
There are two comparisons I would like to make between Groose and the Ganondorf; the first is a visual comparison between these two. The second is a comparison between the relation these characters have with Link.
Let’s first look at the visual similarities. Pictured below is Groose from Skyward Sword.
[Add a picture of Groose]
There are several characteristics of Groose to observe: Bulkier, more muscular build than other humans Red hair Amber eyes Red & Green accessory
Now let’s take a look at both the Gerudo and Ganondorf in particular.
[Add a picture of an OoT Gerudo and Ganondorf]
Observe the following characteristics held by the Gerudo and Ganondorf: Bulkier, more muscular build than other humans Red hair Amber eyes
One more characteristic not as easily seen is the presence of an alternating red and green pattern, seen on Ganondorf’s clothing in Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker as well as on the sheath of Ganondorf’s sword in Twilight Princess.
One of the characteristics the Gerudo have that Groose did not have is the darker complexion, however that can easily be explained by the biome in which the Gerudo live. One more characteristic not shared is the distinct nose shape of the Gerudo.
Despite not sharing all traits, there are more things in common with the Gerudo than not. In all of Skyward Sword, no other character is even close to resembling the Gerudo to the degree Groose does.
Exhibit 2a - Groose’s relationship with Link
For the previous exhibit, we compared the visual similarities between Groose and the Gerudo. This time, let’s examine the relationship Groose had with Link and contrast that with the relationship between Ganondorf and Link.
Groose’s relationship with Link evolves as the game progresses, so let’s examine it in stages.
Pre-Skyward Sword
Before the events of the game and into the beginning of the story, Link and Groose were classmates in the Knights Academy and had a rivalry seemingly fueled by jealousy and a desire to be perceived as a leader.
We see evidence of this through Groose’s multiple attempts to sabotage Link during the Flight Ceremony. Groose steals Link’s Loftwing and locks it away to prevent Link from being able to use his Loftwing to compete, which also nearly killed Link had he not been saved by Zelda.
Additionally, Groose and his crew interfere with the actual race by throwing obstacles at Link to slow him down. If you have read or watched the early Harry Potter stories, this relationship is very close to that between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy (I promise I won’t reference Harry Potter again).
Midgame Growth
After Zelda is thrown to the surface after the competition, Groose is devastated and laments over what happened to her. During this time, Groose notices Link going back and forth between the Surface and Skyloft and decides to spontaneously risk his life and jump down with Link to see where he’s going.
Upon landing in Skyloft, he immediately envisions it as Grooseland. This is meant to be funny as the players are already aware it will be called Hyrule one day, but it also reveals the way Groose thinks. He sees this unsettled land and imagines himself as its leader.
Groose still retains his competitive relationship with Link at this point, trying to find a way to be helpful to the situation. Groose starts a process of becoming humbled by, I think, two things: He witnesses Link in action. Groose sees the courage exhibited by Link and the genuine desire to save Zelda. Additionally, his competitive drive is not reciprocated by Link as Link only wants to save Zelda. The rivalry between him and Groose is not a concern in the slightest and Groose is able to detect that. He is mentored by Impa, the wise and ancient Sheikah. While Link is adventuring, Groose stays behind at the Sealed Temple keeping Impa company. Surely during these times, Impa and Groose interact with each other and Groose would both learn more about the nature of the conflict but also receive the wisdom from Impa he needs to grow just as Link must.
This process is what sends Groose on the path towards becoming a genuine friend of Link through his humbling and understanding of how to better direct the competitive drive he has.
Endgame
As we approach the end of the story, Groose’s development peaks as he loses his selfish edge and devotes his efforts to doing what he can to contribute. He treats Link as an equal, seeing his heroic nature, and he completely drops the jealousy over Zelda. While Link is away, Groose constructs an impressive Groosenator catapult system that winds up being integral to the final conflict.
Despite Link himself embodying the balanced aspects of the Triforce, I think it also at this point where I think it could be said that Link, Zelda, and Groose are representing the elements of the Triforce here.
[Add a picture of the scene from SS showing Link, Zelda, and Groose in front of the Gate of Time]
Link embodies the virtue of courage constantly throughout the adventure, to the surprise of nobody. He charges into battle without knowing if he will succeed, and he faces off against a primordial Demon King that had defeated a goddess in the past.
Zelda embodies the virtue of wisdom as she comes to understand her identity as Hylia. At the beginning of the story, she was “just” Zelda, a simple and carefree girl. By the end of the game, she is, in a way, a different person. She gains the wisdom of her past self, Hylia, and takes up the mantle as Hylia once again.
Groose, I believe, embodies the virtue of power by the end of the game. While he is the most physically built of anybody, that is not quite the power I am thinking of. The power that Groose has can be seen through the creation of the Groosenator and his saving of Zelda after Ghirahim flings her body through the air. Groose understands and accepts that he is actually quite weaker than Link due to not being the chosen hero. He was not chosen to wield the Goddess Blade, he has not received the boons of the dragons, he does not possess any of the items Link does, and importantly he did not actually go on the adventure Link did. Despite all of this, Groose still found a way to have a tangible impact on the final battle. The most powerless character still was able to leave his mark and be important enough that if he were not there, Link’s quest would surely have failed.
Retrospective
Let’s take a moment to think about the development and consider the path he was on before the events of the game. Groose was a cruel person; he was the leader of a small gang of hoodlums and he led the group with a demeaning grip, treating them more like lackeys than actual friends. He was willing to put Link’s life in actual danger all for a petty rivalry, and we see his desire to be the leader additionally when Groose sees the surface for the first time and envisions it as Grooseland.
Without the mentorship of Impa or the forced development he underwent by participating in the conflict, Groose would have grown into a wicked man; the kind of disposition somebody like Ganondorf would have prior to any kind of transformation into the Demon King.
Hopefully by this point I have demonstrated that Groose bears a resemblance to Ganondorf both visually and in terms of the many shared personality traits.
Exhibit 2b - Groose’s Thematic Connection to Ganondorf
In this theory, I am attempting to make real connections between Groose and Ganondorf, and in doing so I need to provide some threads between these two characters that, generally speaking, show similarities.
Think back to Ganondorf from the Wild Era in particular. It is notable that Ganondorf did not seem to think terribly of the ancient Zonai, rebuffing their characterization as being like gods.
Rather, it seems Ganondorf resents that Rauru possesses a great deal of power that was gained through coincidental means. Ganondorf is weaker than Rauru for the sole reason that Rauru happens to possess a Secret Stone, not because Rauru is inherently more powerful than Ganondorf or that Rauru honed his skills or trained any harder than Ganondorf.
Ganondorf particularly seems to resent those who possess unearned power and use that power to maintain a peaceful status quo. Ganondorf believes in the principle of "might makes right" and that those with power should use it to exert control over the rest.
Let us now examine some pieces of dialogue from Groose during the early game:
"What's your problem, anyway? Oh, wait...I got it. You're here to talk about today's race. I can see it in those dopey eyes of yours. They're pleading, "Oh, Groose, can you please find it in your heart to let me win today? Please!""
"You're just desperate to win so you can get some alone time with Zelda up on the Statue of the Goddess at the end of the ceremony. Well, sorry, pal. Groose doesn't do charity for wimps. My advice? Work hard and wish with all your heart. You might even come in second."
The context of the above quote comes from Link approaching Groose prior to the ceremony. Groose smugly shoos Link away telling Link that if he wants some advice he should work hard and try hard, and even then he won't match Groose.
The conversation continues:
"You know, we're all getting tired of how you never let anyone forget you and Zelda go way back. You've been friends since you were kids? Big deal. It doesn't change the fact that you float through life with your head in the clouds. Would you wake up, straighten up, and grow a backbone already? Dopes like you are dragging our honored academy through the mud."
Groose criticizes Link because he and Zelda have a special relationship despite Link, from Groose's perspective, doing absolutely nothing to improve himself; he just stumbled into being talented and Zelda's special person and Groose resents Link for that.
Let us pivot to another character trait of Ganondorf. He frequently takes advantage of others, letting them act while he watches from the shadows then stepping in at the right moment to seize power.
Notable examples include Ganondorf sneaking into the Sacred Realm as Link pulls the Master Sword in Ocarina of Time, Ganondorf assassinating Sonia in Tears of the Kingdom, and Ganondorf tricking Link into freeing Vaati in Four Swords Adventures. There are some more less obvious examples but these are clear examples of this behavior.
Groose does exactly this in Skyward Sword:
"What's going on here? Ever since Zelda vanished, you've been in and out of town all in a hurry! So I figured I'd tail you, and you might lead me to Zelda."
Groose wants to know what happened to Zelda and he observes Link acting suspiciously and figures there is some connection so he observes and follows Link with the objective of using Link to find Zelda first and claim her affection for himself. This much becomes obvious through additional dialogue:
"So lemme see if I've got this right. The old lady living in the temple down the road from here knows where Zelda is? I see... Right, Link. Thanks for getting me here. You've done a good job. You can head home. Big Groose will handle the search for Zelda from here. Yup. I'll track her down, save her, and then give her a lift back to Skyloft... Then when we get back. I'll ask her if she wants to make our whole going-out thing official, and then the two of us will get some quality time together. Anyway, the point is your work here is done. I got it covered from here! Now, it's off to find that old lady you were talking about. Catch you later, Link!"
When Impa informs Groose that Link is destined to save Zelda and not himself, he is angered by such an audacious claim and seems to be in disbelief at the notion that someone other than himself would be more suited for this task:
"Shut it, Grannie! You obviously don't know me well, 'cause if you did, you'd know that if anyone's gonna save Zelda, it's Groose! How could it not be me? Plus, if it ain't me, why would I even be here? Pffft. If I'm not up to the job of being the hero, just who is?"
I think a particularly notable piece of dialogue near the end of this conversation really nails the parallel between Ganondorf and Groose:
"Huh? Oh...now I getcha. Link, Grannie here has been trying to tell me you're gonna be the big hero who rescues Zelda. What a joke! Look, all I've heard so far is a bunch of babbling about destiny, but that's a load of garbage. I know you, and you're no hero, shrimp! Waaaah!"
Groose has been told it is fate to be, in his eyes, powerless in the quest to save Zelda (He is not literally powerless; Impa tells him as much, but Groose feels useless here and that is what it is important). He scoffs at his inability to be in control of his own fate and later uses that frustration to motivate him to find his own way to help.
Just like Ganondorf, Groose believes himself to be the pinnacle of humanity and the one most suited to be "the guy". Ganondorf and Groose both take an unfortunate destiny as a challenge to overcome rather than succumbing to that fate.
Exhibit 3 - The Curse of the Demon Tribe
I would like to consider the scene where Demise delivers his speech to Link about the “Curse of the Demon Tribe.”
"Extraordinary. You stand as a paragon of your kind, human.
You fight like no man or demon I have ever known. Though this is not the end.
My hate...never perishes. It is born anew in a cycle with no end!
I will rise again! Those like you... Those who share the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero... They are eternally bound to this curse.
An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind, dooming them to wander a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time!" - Demise
What is typically focused on with this speech is what Demise exactly means here by a “curse” in the sense that it is ambiguous if Demise is placing an actual curse or hex at that moment, or if Demise is describing the inevitable nature of the Demon Tribe to spawn a new Demon King eventually.
Whichever of these is more accurate is not particularly relevant. What is relevant is who was present at this moment. We have Demise, Link, Zelda (incapacitated), Impa, and Groose.
Let’s take a moment quickly to consider what distinguishes Ganon from Demise and Malladus, the other two Demon Kings we’re aware of. As far as we know, Demise and Malladus are “pure” demons. Ganon, however, was once a human. What is also notable is that Ganon is the only Demon King we’ve seen so far that is genuinely capable of reincarnating after its defeat. When Demise was defeated, his spirit was eradicated by the Master Sword. We don’t know the ultimate fate of Malladus’s spirit following his defeat, however it does appear he suffered an eradication as well.
With Ganon, even if you destroy him, he seemingly can continue to reincarnate and his reincarnations similarly can once again become Ganon the Demon King. It may be the case that because Ganon’s origins are human that his reincarnations are all capable of becoming the Demon King. Indeed, it seems as if “Ganondorf” possesses something that follows his descendants in the same way that the Spirit of the Hero follows Link’s or the Blood of the Goddess follows Zelda’s. And what it is that follows Ganondorf is the Curse of the Demon Tribe itself.
Both Link and Zelda possess these things through discrete events. Link forges the Spirit of the Hero through his actions in the game. He is bolstering his own reincarnating spirit such that future reincarnations will inherit his nature. Zelda’s Blood of the Goddess comes as a result of Hylia’s actions in the past prior to Skyward Sword and it physically follows her descendants through history allowing their descendants to possess special abilities and for the “Zeldas” in particular to be paragons of the bloodline.
Consider Ganondorf now. When did the Curse of the Demon Tribe link itself to Ganondorf’s reincarnating spirit? Every Ganondorf we know of was already embodying the Curse of the Demon Tribe from before the point where any of them may physically transform into Ganon. They all have a wicked nature. Whether you think the Ganondorf from Tears of the Kingdom or Ocarina of Time is first, it is clear that both of them were wicked men far before they transformed into demons.
So let’s rewind. What I propose is this: When Demise was destroyed and the Demon Tribe’s hatred of the gods became orphaned from Demise, it bound itself to a new host: Groose.
I am not suggesting Groose became a wicked man following the end of Skyward Sword. Instead, what I am suggesting is that Groose’s bloodline became cursed to give birth to the future incarnation of the Demon King’s hatred and that is the origin of the Gerudo Tribe: They are the cursed descendants of Groose.
Exhibit 4 - The Gerudo’s “Once every 100 years” Male
A recurring trope of the Gerudo that has been stated in nearly all, if not all, games that the Gerudo are physically present in Hyrule for, is that every 100 years a male will be born to the Gerudo tribe.
What is curious, though, is this rule gets broken many times, or at the very least is never reinforced. Every single Gerudo male we’ve ever seen is a Ganondorf. Ocarina of Time, Four Swords Adventures, Tears of the Kingdom; these games all repeat the tradition of the male birth every 100 years and in all of these games that male is Ganondorf. In the Wild Era, we get the impression that while Ganondorf is sealed beneath Hyrule Castle, no new Gerudo males were born. From the point of Ganondorf’s birth in Ocarina of Time up until his apparent reincarnation in Four Swords Adventures, we also get no indication of another male child despite hundreds of years having passed by that point given that Ocarina of Time to Twilight Princess is at least 100 years.
What seems to be the case is that, while a “Ganondorf” exists, he will not reincarnate and the male birth cycle is paused until he perishes. What I think this indicates is that the rare male is meant to be Ganondorf, not just any male child. The specific length of 100 years is probably not exact and instead is referring to the general time it takes for a spirit to reincarnate into the world. Additionally, the apparent “tradition” of the rare male leading the Gerudo could have been a fabrication made up by Twinrova as a means to ensure Ganondorf led the tribe in the era of Ocarina of Time, so I think this tradition may not be the most reliable either.
So when I say that the Gerudo Tribe is cursed, this is what I actually mean. They are an all-female tribe and are the vessel for the Demon King’s lineage. No matter what, due to the all-female nature of the Gerudo, a Gerudo woman will always be the source that gives birth to a new incarnation of the Demon Tribe’s hatred of the gods.
Additional Considerations
There are questions that may be raised from this line of thinking that I would like to address.
How/Why did Groose end up in the desert?
At the end of Skyward Sword, following the credits, we see Groose and his crew flying around the Sealed Temple on their Loftwings then flying off into the distance. Fans have speculated where exactly they were headed to such as elsewhere on the Surface or back to Skyloft.
I would say, given the context of the scenes and knowing the history of the Zelda chronology itself, it would be appropriate to assume they remained on the Surface. This makes sense for two reasons: Groose liked the Surface. We know this because of his reaction to the Surface during the game, and even in the credits we see Groose showing his friends the Surface excitedly. It would make sense that they would continue to explore the Surface, especially now that there is no longer danger, rather than return back to Skyloft. We know the Skyloftians settled the Surface. Following the events of Skyward Sword, the Skyloftians settle the Surface, naming it Hyrule, hence the transition of the name “Skyloftian” to “Hylian” instead. Additionally, while we do know of several tribes residing in the Sky (Wind Tribe, Oocca, Zonai), their history always starts on the Surface before ascending to the Sky.
Why was Groose chosen to be cursed?
This one is a little more difficult to answer, because there may not be a better answer than “It was Groose because it makes narrative sense.”
Realistically speaking, among those present at the time of Demise’s defeat, it obviously could not have latched to Link or Zelda given we know their future reincarnations are the ones fighting the incarnations of Demise’s hatred. Impa was also present, but we also see her reincarnations and she also aids in the fight against the Demon Kings.
Groose is the only person present whose future is unknown.
That being said, there is another followup question: Why should we assume anyone was affected by a curse at that moment rather than the emergence of the Demon King being caused by external forces?
This is also difficult to answer as this is a narrative decision and isn’t something we can demonstrate SHOULD happen any particular way. Whether or not you think this makes sense will depend on how you, as a fan, perceive this in terms of narrative satisfaction. I do think this is a narratively attractive explanation for a few reasons:
1. It turns Groose into a more meaningful character and it recontextualizes Ganondorf as the result of the Demon Tribe corrupting an otherwise redeemable spirit; one that has personal history with the original hero.
2. It provides an explanation for why Ganondorf/Ganon in particular seems to keep coming back rather than any other potential non-human Demon King similar to Malladus appearing. It links Ganondorf’s recurring presence as a consequence of a very specific action.
3. It provides a narrative means to escape Ganondorf being the main villain. If, for whatever reason, the Zelda writers had the intention to redeem Ganondorf in some way to allow for a new recurring villain, breaking this curse on Ganondorf would be a pathway to introduce a non-villain Ganondorf. (I do not personally believe they will do this unless it's in some kind of alternate timeline, but the option still remains)
4. It bolsters the gravity of Ganondorf compared to any other Demon King. When it comes to a villain like Demise or Malladus, they can genuinely be defeated. However, Ganon is unique in that you can eradicate any particular iteration of him but because of his human origins, he has a sort of immortal nature to himself so long as Ganondorf’s spirit remains corrupted and within the cycle of reincarnation. Rather than any defeat of Ganon meaning the end of him, it rather just postpones Ganon until Ganondorf reincarnates.
Conclusion
Ganondorf is unique among Demon Kings because he is not a pure demon of the Demon Tribe; he is a mortal man born into a lineage uniquely cursed to carry the Demon Tribe’s hatred of the gods. By tracing the physical, psychological, and thematic origins of the Gerudo back to Groose in Skyward Sword, a complete narrative triangle emerges:
1. The Physical & Virtue Blueprint: Groose possessed most of the distinct physical traits that would define the Gerudo phenotype: red hair, amber eyes, and a large, muscular build. Furthermore, Groose represented the virtue of Power in Skyward Sword's narrative. Though he overcame his initial cruelty through humility and camaraderie, his raw ambition and physical strength provided the exact template for what paragon of the virtue of Power could be.
2. The Curse of the Bloodline: Upon Demise’s defeat, the orphaned hatred of the Demon Tribe latched on to the spirit of a human host to survive across generations as the same reincarnated being. Bound to the bloodline of Groose, the third human present at the final battle, this curse reshaped his descendants into the all-female Gerudo tribe, dooming them to serve as the biological vessel for the Demon King's return.
3. The Male Reincarnation Cycle: The legendary "Gerudo male born every 100 years" tradition is not a rigid biological clock, but the physical manifestation of the Demon Tribe’s hatred manifesting. A male child is born to the Gerudo only when the Demon King's hatred is primed to manifest as a new mortal incarnation to walk the earth, pausing the cycle whenever a Ganondorf already exists. Just as Link forged the Spirit of the Hero and Hylia established the Bloodline of the Goddess, the downfall of Demise bound the Curse of the Demon Tribe to the Bloodline of Groose. This turns Ganondorf from a simple recurring monster into a tragic narrative mirror: an infection of pure hatred riding upon the legacy of a man who once stood alongside the Hero.